Metallic-ball-making machine



y M. w. MAGANN METALLIC BALL MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y M. w. MAGANN METALLIC BALL MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct.11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES MERRITT w. MAGANN,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO ST. LOUIS STEEL BALL CORPORATION, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

METALLIC-BALL-MAKING MACHINE.

Application filed October 11, 1923. Serial No. 667,895.

My invention relates to a metallic ball making machine for rollingnon-spherical pieces of metallic stock having a volume of material equalto the finished ball, and, it is a distinct and practical improvement inthe line of the art to which the invention relates to overcome certainpractical objections to,

and defects in the class of machines to which it relates.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for making balls byrolling the stock in an orbital channel between two ball forming membersthat will cause the axis of the stock to be constantly changed inrotation in all directions while being formed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine whereinone of the ball rolling members will yield from its coacting member whennecessary to prevent choking of the orbital channel traversed by thestock being rolled into balls.

- A still further object of the invention is the provision of a machine,one member of which is provided with an annular ball forming groovewhich is semi-circular in cross-section and provided with depressionsand a co-acting member provided with a circular groove which is alsosemi-circular in cross section, said groove having a wall or obstructionin its path and provided with a stock feed passage and a finished balldischarge passage both communicating with the ball forming groove onopposite sides of the obstruction or wall.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts andtheir equivalents, hereinafter more fully described andfinally pointedout in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, wherein like characters of reference denote similar partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1, is a top plan view of a metallic ball making machine embodyingthe features of my invention.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view of the machine.

Fig. 3, is a front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 4:, is a rear elevation of the machine.

'Fig. 5, is a view partly in side elevation and partly in sectionalelevation, taken on hne 5 -5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6, is a plan view of the inside face of one of the ball formingmembers.

Fig. 7, is a plan view of the inside face of the co-acting ball formingmember.

Fig. 8, is a detail of a modified form of ball forming member.

In carrying out the aim of my invention, I employ a suitable base 1having the up: right bearing supports 2 and 3 carried thereby. Thesupports 2 and 3 are each provided with opposed bearings 4: within whichis journaled a suitable drive shaft 5 and further provided with opposedbearings 6 within which is journaled a suitable drlven shaft 7. Asuitable pinion 8 is suitably fixed to one end of the drive shaft 5which meshes with a suitable driven gear 9 suitably fixed to the innerend of the driven shaft 7. A suitable belt pulley 9 is fixed to theouter end of the drive shaft. 5 which may be revolved by any suitablesource of power.

A ball forming plate 10 of suitable size, shape and material is suitablyand removably fixed to a suitable standard 11 extending upwardly fromthe base 1. The plate 10 is provided upon its inner face with an annularsen'ii-circular, or concaved groove 12. The groove 12 is provided withapartition 13 and upon opposite sides thereof with the passages 14; and15. Passage 14 acts as a feed passage for stock to be fed to the ballforming mechanism and passage 15 acts as a discharge passage for theball when fully formed or shaped.

A second ball forming plate 16, preferably aring plate, of suitablesize, shape and material is suitably and removably fixed to the drivengear 9 in opposed relation to the ball forming plate 10. The ring plate16 is'also provided upon its inner face with an annular semi-circular orconca-ved groove 17 disposed opposite the facial groove 12 in plate 10so as to provide a ball forming channel between the ball forming plates,which is circular in cross-section.

The groove 12 of plate 10 is provided with a plurality of suitablyspaced transverse stock feeding depressions, or grooves 18. The grooves18 are preferably, although not necessarily diminished in length, andthey preferably do not GXLGIICl. around the annular groove 12, but stopshort of the discharge passage 15 to provide the smooth surfacedsection19 for ren'iovlng any burrs formed in the ball by the facial grooves ordepressions and for finishing the surface of the ball before beingdischarged.

The'groove 1'? of plate 16 is provided with a plurality of suitablespaced transverse facial depressions or grooves 20. The grooves ordepressions 2O preferably extend con'ipletely around the circular groove17 so as to positively keep on the move, the ball being formed in theorbital ball forming channel.

21 representsa heavy resilient strap which is suitably fixed at each endto the bearing Support 3 in such a manner as to cover the shaftopeningin the bearing 5 thereof. A suitable ball bearing; 22 is disposedbetween the outer end of shaft 7 and the resilient strap 21. A suitablebearing disc 23 is dis posed between the two ball forming plates 10 and16, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The disc bearing keeps the two platesspaced the desired distance apart to provide suitable clearance 2st forscales to escape from the orbital ball forming channels 25 formedbetween the two plates by the grooves 12 and 1'? and the spring member21 permits longitudinal movementof the shaft 7, including plate 16 toprevent choking of the stock in the ball forming channel 25.

The operation of the device is as follows: The stock to be rolled intoballs, is in the shape of cubes, cylinders and any other design orirregular shape having a sufficient [area of material to form the sizeballs to be made in the orbital passage or channel between the ballforming plates. The ball forming stock designated A. is fed to the ballforming mechanism through the feed passage 1 1 from where it enters theorbital passage 25 and is rolled in the annular grooves of the opposedball shaping plates. constantly changing its axis of rotation until itis discharged through the discharge passage 15. The grooved member 16being rotatable and its co-acting member 10 being stationary, permitsthe facial channel grooves to grip the stock being formed into ballshape to keep the stock in a constant state of rotation with its axisconstantly changing 'so that the stock will be discharged in asubstantial ball shape and not egg shape.

The stationary and revoluble grooved members 10 and 16 may be segmentalin shape and duplicates, if desired, where the ball forming course canbe conveniently made long enough to form the stock in ball shape, asclearly shown in the modification shown in Fig, 8. The facial groove ineach segmental member is arcuate in shape 111- stead of annular orcircular and the wall 13 and the discharge channel 15 are eliminated.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that 1 provide a ballmaking machine which is small in size, consisting of a minimum number ofparts, strong, durable, and highly eilicient for the purpose intended.

The many advantages of the herein described invento'n will'readilysuggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains. I

1 do not wish to be understood as having [limited myself to the detailsof construction shown and described, but desire to have it understoodthat the invention I have shown in, the drawings ismerely illustrative,as it is manifest that various minor changes may bemade in the exactconstruction and particular arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit 0t my invention, hence I reserve the right to make any such.changes, or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of theappended claims when fairly construed.

What I claim is:

1. In a ball forming machine structure, a base, a standard directedupwardly from said base, a pair of spaced supports directed upwardlyfrom said base, a front bearing carried by each support,a rear bearingcarried by each support, a stationarydie plate having a facial annularball forming groove having a slug inlet passage and a ball out letpassage removably fixed to the inner side face of the standard, a drivenshaft journal-ed in the front bearings, a driven gear having an annulargroove in its inner face fixed to the inner end of said driven shaft, aring shaped die member having a facial annular ball forming grooveremovably lined in the annular groove of the gear and disposedin opposedrelation to the ball forming groove ofthe stationary die plate, a thatspring member fixed at opposed ends to one of the supports and closing;one end of one of the fr-ontbearings, a ball bearing disposed betweenthe-outer end of the drivgear for revolving the forming machinestrucstandard fined to the base, a

pair of spaced supports fixed to said base.

a front bearing for each support in axial al gnmeutwith each other, arear bearing for each support in axial alignment with each other, astationary die plate for said standard provided with an annular shapedfacial groove having; depressions therein and having a slug inletpassage and a ball outlet passage separated by means of a partition, adriven shaftjournaled in the front bearings, a. driven gear having an"annular end ofsaid drive shaft facial groove fixed to said drivenshaft, a ring shaped die member provided with an annular facial groovehaving depressions seated in the annular facial groove of the gear inopposed relation to the groove of the stationary die plate, means toaccommodate the outward end thrust of the driven shaft, a drive shaftjournaled in the rear bearings and a pinion fixed to the drive shaftmeshing; with said gear.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thespecification.

MERRITT WV. MAGANN.

